Everton loanee Antony Robinson enjoying life at Bolton

karlypants

Nat Lofthouse

Posts : 22728Join date : 2012-08-04

Antonee Robinson would thoroughly recommend the Wanderers experience to any young Premier League players eyeing a loan move this January.

The Everton full-back has been one of Phil Parkinson’s real success stories since swapping the School of Science for his first real taste of professional football at the Macron the start of the season.

Now, with 21 games under his belt, he has signed on for another six months of Championship football – starting with this weekend’s trip to Brentford.

Parkinson is hoping to convince some of the top flight clubs to follow Everton’s lead and send some of their young stars into Bolton’s survival battle.

He added another of the Blues’ highly-rated youngsters, Harry Charsley, to the squad yesterday and is seeking at least two more signings before the end of the month.

Robinson feels his game has improved despite dropping out of the top flight.

“All young players at my age should look to be playing regularly,” he told The Bolton News. “I’m lucky that my football is coming at Championship level, a high standard, but you have to enjoy every minute.

“Coming up against powerful players you start realising what you have got to put your body up against, even if they are lads the same size as players your age. It’s physically different and players know better how to put their body about.

“When I first turned up it was a case of watching the league, getting a feel for it, training hard and I got lucky with a couple of injuries. I feel like when I got in the team I’ve been better with each game, now I feel like I’m settled in.

“Every game something pops up – defensively or going forward – that I haven’t done before. It’s just a case of adding it all up and getting the experience.

“The gaffer will have a word, pick me up on little things like if my heading isn’t going so well or I’m not playing safely enough, taking too many touches, he’ll pull me up on it.

“I’ve managed to avoid any rollockings. I think you have to realise yourself as a player when people are telling you time and time again about the same things. It is important you learn.

“I was buzzing to sign for the rest of the season. I’ve had a good run of games and want to keep playing at this level. It doesn’t feel like my time to go back to Everton.”

Robinson had three appearances in the Checkatrade Trophy to his name last season – one of which was against Wanderers – for Everton’s Under-23s last season.

He has been pleased to see clubmates Jonjoe Kenny and Mason Holgate push their way into the senior set-up this season but has not spoken to the Toffees about his own career path beyond the summer.

“We haven’t really spoken about any future plans,” he said. “I have got another season left so I am just looking to try and keep my place in the team, see what happens.

“There are a lot of young lads like Jonjoe and Mason who have got themselves in the team and doing well. I have had to adapt to playing in this league just the same as they have in the Premier League.

“It’s really exciting to think I can go back with games under my belt and try and get that chance.”

Robinson has won plaudits at Bolton for his swashbuckling style but regular fans may recognise some of his influences in the game.

“I think the best left-back in the league, or at least the one I look to, is Marcos Alonso,” he said.